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More on imminent Judgicide:

Okay, one post to reply to everyone!

Thanks everyone for your sympathy and understanding. Kristeenie, thanks for
the offer of pics, that'll help. Bill, I'm thrilled about the
pumpkin-growers cards -- I'll take good care of them. Or if you want, you
could fax them directly to Mr. Betts in Victoria. Again, his fax number is
(250) 656-8922. That way you wouldn't have to let them out of your sight, I
know they must be precious! I've downloaded some of the pics from your
page, especially the one with "papa" in the back of your car, though small,
it has a pretty good stem view.

But it's this five-pointed star stem thing vs. the squash stem thing that's
really at issue. The man is a field crops specialist and he believes that a
pumpkin must have that kind of stem to BE a pumpkin. It's not down to the
fair organizers, of which I am one, to create vegetable standards. Those
that we use are the ones in the red book: the Horticultural society
handbook of standards for non-specialized exhibitions or something like
that. The section co-ordinator is just a community volunteer like myself.
And at the fair review meeting, I am going to suggest that we create a new
category for giant vegetables and fruits of all kinds, not just lump the
biggies in with the hay and sunflowers. 

But Mr. Betts is still labouring under a misconception about AGPs that I'd
like to clarify for him, in case some other poor shmo comes under his
ill-informed aegis. It's too late for me, I can't reverse the existing
decision, but there's always NEXT year, and he might be the judge again!
(And if you don't think that my teeth were grinding when I saw that the
wimp 39-pounder pumpkin had won not just the blue ribbon, but a TROPHY and
a champion rosette, then you probably were in a thunderstorm, because I
know you could have heard the rumble all the way to Georgia!)

Duncan I think getting the full description of the AGP would be super,
thanks!

Tom, that's a good idea about reposting in a month's time, as long as
everyone else doesn't mind, and you're right this IS war, albeit a very
civilized one. But (pumpkin) god is on our side! We will win!

Brock, your point is excellent. After I went storming through the vegetable
hall, I found that acorn squash have the perfect five-pointed star stem.
Does that make them pumpkins instead of squash? Me not think so! Pumpkin
monster EAT judgies! MMMmaow, crunch,crunch, mmmm-owphghghh!

Troy, I appreciate you searching for the Howard Dill's patent for me, I
really need all you guys to right this heinous wrong!

Riding the white pumpkin into the sunset...... Hi-yo pumpky!


Denise McCann Beck
USDA Zone 7
Sunset Western 4
Coastal Bristish Columbia
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